Curtain-stretcher.



P. M. HARTPENGE.

CURTAIN STRETGHER.

K APPLIGA'TION FILED 00T. 3, 1913. 1,098,037. Patented May 26, 1914.

DLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH C0.. WASHINGTON, D. C..

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

.PHOEBE M.. HARTPENCE, OF HARRISON, OHIO.

CURTAIN-STRETCHER.

T0 all 'whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, Pi-ronnn M. HART- rnNcn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Harrison, in the county of Hamilton and Sta-te of Ohio, have -invented certain new and useful Improvements in Curtain- Stretchers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to curtain stretchers and is an improvement upon the curtain stretcher disclosed in Letters Patent No. 517,694, ygranted me April 3, 1894.

It is the object of my invention to pro-I vide means which are substantial and economical in manufacture whereby the parts of the curtain stretcher may be readily and conveniently assembled, and whereby the curtain stretcher may be readily and quickly ,placed in set-up or in knock-down relation and the invention will be further readily understood from the following description and claims, and Jfrom the drawing, in which latter: i

Figure l is a front elevation of my improved device in set-up relation. Fig. 2 is a similar `view of the same in knock-down relation. Fig. `3 is an edge view of my improved device in set-up relation. Fig. 4 is a detail ofthe base portion on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 Ais a horizontal crosssection on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2. Fig. G is a detail in vertical section taken on the line G-G of Fig. 2; and, Fig. 7 is a detail in vertical section taken on the line 7 7 of Fig. 4.

In my improved device there are a main standard 11 and a supplemental standard 12. The main standard comprises a front stile 13 and a rear stile 14, having a space 15 therebetween, standard comprises a front stile 16 and a rear stile 17 these stiles having a space 18 therebetween. The spaces between the stiles extend substantially throughout the heights of the Stiles. The standard 11 has a base 19, and the standard 12 has a base 20.

25 is a casting which forms a connection between the stiles and base of each standard. It comprises a plate 26 which has depending ears 27, 28, at its respective sides for forming a channel in which the base is received and secured by means of suitable screws. Upwardly extending wings 31, 32, project Vfrom the base at its front and rear ends, and upwardly extending lugs 33, 34, project from the base between said wings.

The tops of the front and rear Stiles of Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 3, 1913.

and the supplemental- Patented May 26, 1914.

serial No. 793,163.

the supplemental standard are connected by a casing 37 which has a depending kfront wing 38, a depending rear wing 39 between which depending lugs 40, 41, are located. The front wings and front lugs of the upper and lower castings form recesses in which the ends of the front stile are located, and the rear wings and rear lugs of the upper and lower castings form recesses in which the ends of the rear stile are located, the ends of the stiles being fastened by suitable screws. The front and rear wings at the respective bases are provided with holes 42, 43, the hole 42 being a threaded hole.

45 is a top rail and 46 is a bottom rail. The rails are both pivoted kto the main standard in such manner that they may be swung toward each other when said parts are in set-up relation. Thus the bottom rail is pivoted on a bolt 47 received through the holes 42, 43, in the casting 25 of the main standard, forming a pivot for said bottom rail which is located adjacent the outside portion of said main standard. The top rail is pivoted on a hinge 48, one butt whereof is secured adjacent to the end of the top rail and the other 'butt whereof is secured to a block 49 fastened between the upper ends of the front and rear stiles of the main standard. The end 50 of said top rail has an arm 51 projecting therefrom. The arm is pivoted at 52 to the top rail, its shank being received in a slot 44 in the end of said top rail. Each of the stiles is formed with a rabbet 53 in which pins 54 are located.

A stretcher-bar 56 is received in and is movable up and down in the spaces between the front and rear stiles of the respective standards and extends across the space between said standards when the parts are in set up relation. The stretcher bar is preferably provided with rabbets 57 in which pins 58 are located.

When the parts are in set-up relation, the bottom rail is swung on its pivot out of the space 15in which it is normally located and received in the bottom of the space 18. The top rail is also lswung on its pivot and received at the top of the casting 37. Each of these rails is provided with a suitable scale for denoting the distance between the standards, so as to locate the upper and lower ends of the standards equaldistances apart. The bottom rail is clamped in the supplemental standard by means of a set-screw 59 threaded in the threaded hole 4:2. The top rail is clamped to the casting 37 by being received in a channel 60 therein and clamped between the lng 6l of said casting, forming one wall of the channel, and the end of a set-screw G2 having threaded connection with the other lug 63 oi said casting. For holding the standards and rails in rightangular relation, provide the brace-bar 65 pivoted at 66 to the main standard and formed with a keeper 67 arranged to be received in a hole G8 in the bottom rail. The curtain being stretched is received over the top rail, the Lipper surface of which is shown rounded, so that the curtain may depend in a pair of stretches from said top rail, one at each side of said rail. The lower edges of the front and rear stretches of the curtain are received over the pins on the stretcher-bar. YWhile aliixing the ends of the curtain to the pins on the stretcherbar, the latter may rest on pegs 69 received through holes 70 in the stiles of the respective standards. When the curtain is atixed, the pegs are removed, the stretcherbar pressed downwardly to stretch the curtain, and the pegs inserted in holes above the stretcher-bar. The side edges of the curtain are received over the pins in the respective front and rear stiles of the main and supplemental standards.

Then placing the device in knock-down relation the set-screws 59, 62, are unclamped, and the bottom rail swung inwardly into the space between the front and rear stiles of the main standard and received against a stop 71 connecting said stiles. The keeper 67 of the brace-bar 65 is removed from its hole 68 and placed through a hole 72 in the front stile 13, and through an eye 73 depending from the bottom of the top rail, whereby the bottom rail and top rail and the main standard are held in fixed relations. The bottom rail is confined between the front and rear stiles of said main standard and the step 7l and keeper 67. The top rail is let down swingingly on its pivot against the inner edge of the main stancard. rlhe stretcher-bar is tip-ended in the space 1S between the front and rear stiles of the supplemental standard. its lower end being received in a depression 74 of the plate 26. A stop 75 secured between the front and rear stiles of the supplemental standard prevents outward movement of the stretcher-bar. The main and supplemental standards are then in knock-down relations and are placed with their inner faces toward each other. The head 77 of the arm 5l is clamped in the clamp at the top of the supplemental standard. rIhe lower end of the main standard is provided with a pivoted tongue 76 pivoted about the bolt 47. rlhis tongue is swung on its pivot so as to be received between the lower end of the stretcher-bar and the set-screw 59. The clamping of the set-screws 59 and 62 respectively against the arm 5l and the tongue 76, secures the parts in knock-down relation as a rigid structure.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters atent, is:

1. A knock-down curtain stretcher comprising a. main standard and a supplemental standard, each of said standards comprising front and rear stiles having a space therebetween extending lengthwise of said stiles, a bottom rail pivoted at the lower end of said main standard and arranged to be swung upwardly into the space between said .front and rear stiles of said main standard,

a top rail pivoted to the upper end of said main standard and arranged t-o swing downwardly for closing said last-named space, and a curtain stretching bar arranged to be received lengthwise in the space between said front and rear stiles of said supplemental standard, when said parts are placed in knock-down relation, said main standard and supplemental standard arranged to be placed facing each other with their inner edges toward each other, the outer portions of said standards provided with retaining means for retaining said bottom rail and curtain stretching bar in said spaces.

2. A knock-down curtain stretcher comprising a main standard and a supplemental standard, each of said standards comprising a front stile and a rear stile having a space extending lengthwise therebetween, a bottom rail pivoted in said space of said main standard, a top rail pivoted at the top of said main standard and having an eXtension beyond said pivot, a stretcher-bar arranged to be received lengthwise in the space between the front and rear stiles of said supplemental standard, a clamp at the top of said supplemental standard, a clamp at the bottom of said supplemental standard, an arm extending from said top rail, a tongue pivoted at the bottom of said main standard, said arm and tongue arranged to be received in said clamps respectively at the top and bottom of said supplemental standard when said parts are in knockdown relation for clamping said main standard and supplemental standard together.

3. A knocledown curtain stretcher comprising a main standard and a supplemental standard, each of said standards comprising a front and a rear stile having a space extending lengthwise therebetween, a bottom rail pivoted in said space of said main standard, a top rail pivoted at the top of said main standard, clamps on said supplemental standard for clamping said rails in set-up relations, a brace-bar pivoted to said main standard, said brace-bar provided with a keeper, coacting means on said bottom rail coacting with said keeper when said parts are in set-up relation, said bottom rail arranged to swing into said space of said main standard, aretaining strip for said bottom rail at the outer face of said main standard across said space, an eye on said top rail, said main standard provided with an aperture, said keeper received 10 through said aperture and eye for holding said main standard, bottom rail and top rail in knock-down relation.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

PHOEBE M. HARTPENCE.

Witnesses CHARLES F. WEBER, THERESA M. SILBER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

